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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25160254">With What We Have</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/morningssofgold/pseuds/morningssofgold'>morningssofgold</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Prodigal Son (TV 2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Light Angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 04:40:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,565</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25160254</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/morningssofgold/pseuds/morningssofgold</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“Malcolm, it appears your little cherubs have inherited your delinquent gene.” Jessica walked in from the other room with her arms crossed, clearly unhappy. “They’ve discovered the tunnel beneath the house.”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Wow…I’m impressed.” His mother shot him an irritated look. “I mean, very disappointed.” </i>
</p><p>What happens when the Bright children do a little exploring in the home Malcolm grew up in.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Malcolm Bright / Dani Powell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>63</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>With What We Have</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey, that was Gil, we got a case,” Malcolm nudged Dani who had just taken a sip of peppermint tea, all set for what would have been a relaxing Saturday at home.</p><p>“He needs both of us?” Dani frowned as up and leaving for a crime scene wasn’t the easiest thing to do anymore as they didn’t live in Lower Manhattan anymore instead 13 miles outside the city with now three kids. </p><p>Usually if Gil needed them at the spur of the moment like this, the person most needed would go in and the other would stay with the kids and work from home.</p><p>“Yeah, two bodies were found at a construction site in Hudson Yards,” Malcolm sighed over the rim of his coffee mug as he had been looking forward to a quiet day at home as well. “You get the kids packed and I’ll get them ready.”</p><p>“Okay, but where are we gonna bring them? We can’t bring them to a crime scene.”</p><p>Malcolm sighed once more as they really had no other option but the one left to them. “My mother’s.”</p><p>Ainsley was still recovering from the last time she’d babysat for them. His sister loved spending time with the cherubs but she always needed about four to six weeks recovery time as his kids were admittedly <i>a lot</i>. Since Gil obviously couldn’t do it and neither could Ainsley on such short notice, the only person left was his mother.</p><p>“<i>Okay</i>,” Dani replied, taking another sip of tea. She wasn’t happy about it, he could tell. It was amazing just how much his wife could communicate with just four letters and two syllables. Those four letters and two syllables never meant anything nothing good as he knew from personal experience.</p><p>“Dani, it’ll be fine. I mean, what’s the worst that can happen?” Malcolm knew that was the wrong thing to say almost as soon as the words left his mouth.</p><p>“Oh, I don’t know, Bright. Ask those murderers who ran through that house like they paid rent…Watkins, Endicott…um…<i>The Surgeon</i>, who you know, lived there.”</p><p>She had a point. </p><p>“Okay, yes, my mother’s judgment has been dodgy at best,” Malcolm admitted, ignoring Dani’s loud scoff. “But I promise nothing like that will happen.”</p><p>Dani set her tea mug on the island, cupping his face. Malcolm smiled thinking that he’d managed to smooth things over and perhaps she was about to kiss him.</p><p>“Bright, if anything happens to my children in that house. I’ll kill you myself,” Dani smiled sweetly before patting him on the cheek sarcastically and turning on her heel. Malcolm forlornly watched long, toned legs and tiny pajama shorts disappear up the stairs. <i>Perhaps not.</i></p><p>–––––––––––––––––</p><p>Dani sat on the couch, her combat booted feet crossed at the ankle, surrounded by all of the bags she’d packed that the kids would need for their day at Lovey’s, sifting through all of the case files Gil had sent to her tablet. She liked to be briefed beforehand so as soon as she got to the crime scene, she could get right to work.</p><p>“<i>Mommy!</i>” Dani looked up to see her two year old daughter, Maliha, making her way down the stairs, launching herself into her arms.</p><p>Dani laughed as she looked down into the animated face of her youngest, a face that looked identical to her own. Mali had her same olive complexion, her same dimples, her same bow-shaped mouth. Mali didn’t just have the same features as her–they simply had the same <i>face.</i></p><p>“Look at you, Mama, you look so French,” Dani smiled at the Burberry poncho, black sweater dress and black beret that Daddy had selected for her. </p><p>“Bonjour!” Mali giggled as Dani cupped her little face, brushing her hands over Mali’s long and incredibly thick, pin-straight chestnut hair–the only physical trait other than her little ski-slope nose she’d inherited from Malcolm.</p><p>“Bonjour!” Dani laughed again at her smart little bean, showering her in kisses and hugging her tight to her chest. Mali tightened her tiny arms around Dani’s neck, enjoying all of her Mommy’s attention. </p><p>“Okay, I think we’re ready to go.” Malcolm said, coming down the stairs. Her husband as pristine as ever in his flawlessly tailored gunmetal suit with their four year old son, Asa, in his arms. Their son didn’t appear particularly enthused about the interruption to their quiet Saturday either as he slept on Malcolm’s shoulder.</p><p>Their baby boy in a sweatshirt in Harvard crimson with the University’s name emblazoned across the front atop a white dress shirt paired with khaki chinos–basically Malcolm had dressed their toddler son the same way he’d probably dressed himself as an undergrad. </p><p>“Wait, we’re down one.” Malcolm looked around among the pile of bags and Mali on her lap. “Zahra, sweetheart, are you ready to go?”</p><p>“Yes! I forgot my bag,” Zahra, their six year old, came running down the stairs in a leopard print dress, a black infinity scarf around her neck, black tights and Dr. Martens while trying to shrug into her Kuromi backpack at the same time, her dark curly ponytail flying behind her.</p><p>“Three kids, three bags, two toy bags and one snack bag…now we have everything,” Dani said, setting Mali on her feet. </p><p>“With 10 minutes to spare,” Malcolm replied checking the Patek Philippe on the inside of his wrist, careful not to jostle a still slumbering Asa. </p><p>“Teamwork makes the dream work,” Dani smirked.</p><p>––––––––––––––––</p><p>“My cherubs!” Jessica exclaimed, squatting down, wrapping all three of her beautiful grandchildren up in a Chanel No. 5 scented hug, the moment they entered the living room.</p><p>She looked up at them, seeing so much of her son in all of them. Zahra’s bright pale blue eyes, Asa’s facial features, and Maliha’s beautiful hair. Even all these years later, it was still a shock that Malcolm was a <i>father</i>–of three. Jessica remembered off-handedly suggesting he “pop out a couple grandchildren”– though technically it was his wife who had done it as Danika was quite fond of reminding everyone–but she hadn’t believed that he’d actually do it.</p><p>Despite her rather strained relationship with their mother–something that Jessica could admit was entirely of her own doing due to some miscalculations in the past–she truly did love her grandchildren and she was grateful for each and every one of them.</p><p>“What on earth is all of that?” Jessica asked as she stood up, taking in the small mountain of bags in her son’s arms.</p><p>“I’m glad you asked,” Malcolm said, putting most of them on the antique love seat. “Those bags are the ones Ace and Mali take to daycare, their blankets and extra clothes are in there and you can tell which is which because each of the bags are monogrammed.”</p><p>“But what are those?” Jessica pointed to two overflowing tote bags on the floor. </p><p>“Those have Ace’s books and Mali’s toys. I also spread out her play mat over by the window, she likes to play on the floor.”</p><p>“I beg your pardon?” Jessica frowned as that adorable Burberry poncho her granddaughter wore was not suitable for the <i>floor.</i></p><p>Malcolm ignored her, continuing on. “Zahra has her tablet and charger in her Kuromi backpack. Also this bag has all of their snacks.”</p><p>“Excuse me? I do happen to have food here.” Jessica protested, her frown deepening at the cooler bag that her son placed on the table.</p><p>“Trust me, I am doing <i>you</i> a favor. So in here are grapes for the girls. Ace doesn’t eat grapes so there’s pomegranate seeds in here for him.”</p><p>“What child eats pomegranate–"</p><p>“There are animal crackers here which they all eat,” Malcolm cut her off. “There are also vegetable chips in here and they all eat these too.”</p><p>“I do believe we have those here,” Jessica replied with pursed lips as this was starting to become ridiculous. </p><p>“Perhaps so but they only eat the Trader Joe’s brand. No, I don’t know why. Also there’s water in here–"</p><p>“I do have bottled water, Malcolm! Where in God’s name do you believe this is?” Jessica asked, throwing her hands up in exasperation, her gold bangles jangling rhythmically.</p><p>“I know but Mali likes <i>coconut water</i>.” Malcolm smiled patiently, holding up two cartons of Vita Coco for emphasis. “Shall I write all of this down or do you have it?”</p><p>“I think I’ve got it,” Jessica replied archly, offended that her son was treating her like a babysitter for heaven’s sake.</p><p>“Great!” Malcolm replied breezily. “Now, if you have any questions at all–no matter how small–<i>please</i> call me.”</p><p>“Malcolm, in case you forgot, I did raise two children of my own.” Jessica narrowed her eyes.</p><p>“Yeah…one is chemically dependent and one nearly decapitated a man right where we’re standing…how much credit do you want?” Malcolm asked with raised brows. Skepticism written all over his face.</p><p>“I’d say you turned out pretty well if I do say so myself.” Jessica countered as it was true as her son was a husband, a father and he had a house–a conspicuous stone monstrosity–but a house nonetheless. Why anyone would need almost 19 thousand square feet, she’d never know. </p><p>That said, Malcolm had turned out much better than Jessica had anticipated to be honest, especially as he’d never opted to give up the murder business.</p><p>“<i>You</i> don’t get credit for <i>me</i>, Mother,” Malcolm deadpanned as if it were left up to his mother, his life would be decidedly different and <i>not at all</i> in a good way.</p><p>Jessica rolled her eyes. “Oh right, how can I forget? Only Danika gets any sort of credit around here.”</p><p>“Well, you know love conquers all. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a double murder to attend to.” Malcolm replied, checking his watch.</p><p>–––––––––––––––––</p><p>“So are we gonna behave ourselves for Lovey?” Malcolm asked squatting down, getting eye level with each of the cherubs before he left. He had his doubts but he at least owed it to his mother to ask.</p><p>“Yes, Daddy,” they said in unison, Zahra and Asa side-eying other stealthily, smirking. Malcolm stared at them before nodding as when his kids presented a united front, trouble usually wasn’t far away.</p><p>“Do we have to eat here?” Asa asked, frowning at the thought. As with Mommy, family dinner wasn’t his son’s favorite activity either though for much different reasons. Asa inherited his issues with food and no matter how hard Lovey tried, Asa would never eat the food she served, instead opting to push it around his plate not unlike what Malcolm himself would do even now.</p><p>Malcolm smiled up at the sight of his own frown reflecting back at him as well as the big heavily lashed pewter eyes that he also recognized as his own despite their relative difference in color. His little man seemed to turn more into <i>him</i> with each passing day. “No, I’ll be back for you before dinner time.” </p><p>Asa nodded as his father lightly smoothed down his wavy golden brown hair, obviously mollified by the knowledge that he wouldn’t have to eat whatever Lovey’s chef prepared.</p><p>“Love you guys.” Malcolm wrapped his arms around the three little people who showed him a love unlike anything he could’ve imagined, squeezing them and laughing as they squealed happily. The cherubs always tried to overpower him, the same way they did with Mommy to give her their rather rough morning hugs and kisses but they never could. Daddy’s bear hugs were undefeated. “Be good.”</p><p>“Don’t act like wild children!” Zahra announced grinning at him, echoing what he told them every time they had to come to Lovey’s house. </p><p>“Right!” Malcolm squeezed Zahra’s little cheeks, drawing her silver bell laughter.</p><p>The cherubs were well-behaved and well-mannered about 80 percent of the time and the other 20, they opted for running around tirelessly and trying to fight each other. Malcolm remembered wondering in earnest where they got that from on day the cherubs had decided to play capture the flag in the <i>living room</i> with one of Dani’s headscarves to which Dani replied with narrowed eyes, <i>“I don’t know, Bright, where did they get the tornado gene from?”</i></p><p>Malcolm stood up just after kissing the tops of each of their heads, taking in his mother’s amused yet heartened expression before turning to leave as Zahra had found her tablet and Airpods and appeared to be content to watch movies and Asa was already sitting cross-legged with one of his books.</p><p>He looked down only to see Mali trying to follow him out of the door, looking up at him with those big brown eyes–Mommy’s eyes. That look making him absolutely <i>weak</i>, just as it did every time he saw it.</p><p>“Baby, you have to stay here with Lovey,” Malcolm said gently, scooping up his tiny two year old. Mali shook her head, her little rounded chin beginning to quiver as she buried her face into the crook of his neck.</p><p>Also like Mommy, Mali was incredibly soft. All of his fears about his youngest inheriting the Whitly family darkness had been quickly abated as he realized just how gentle she was. The biggest cuddle bug in the world who would be content to spend hours pressed up in between him and Dani. Mali was also the most sensitive of the kids by far and the only one who was prone to separation anxiety when he or Dani had to leave her at any point.</p><p>“If I could take you with me I would, but I have to go to work and help Grandpa,” Malcolm carded his fingers soothingly though her thick chestnut hair–the hair they shared. “I promise, I’ll be back in a few hours.”</p><p>Mali leaned back to look at him, tilting her head like him but her little serious face a mirror image of Dani’s. “Promise, promise?”</p><p>Malcolm smiled softly, kissing her forehead as Zahra used to do this same thing when she was this age. “Promise, promise, my love.”</p><p>–––––––––––––––––––</p><p>“Can you believe I’ve been tasked with hosting the Centennial Ball? What luck!” Jessica asked her longtime assistant, Leonard, rhetorically as she paced her office. “It’s in December so obviously the theme should be ‘Winter Wonderland’ or is that cliché? You know what? Write it down anyway.”</p><p>“Um…Mrs. Whitly…?” Leonard ventured, looking up from his notepad. </p><p>“Don’t interrupt me while I’m thinking, dear.” </p><p>“Sorry ma’am but um…maybe you wanna check on your grandkids?” </p><p>Jessica waved a hand dismissively, “They’ve had their snacks according to those asinine directions Malcolm left. They’re fine.”</p><p>“I’m sure they are ma’am but they’re not in the living room.”</p><p>Jessica stopped short, “What do you mean they’re <i>not in the living room?</i>” she followed Leonard’s gaze out of the drawing room which doubled as her office, a room that connected to the now entirely empty living room.</p><p>She ran as fast as her Aquazzura heels could carry her, looking around as Maliha’s play mat and blocks were abandoned as well as that troublesome toy–that vile dead Elmo doll her son had gifted both of her granddaughters. Jessica looked around, seeing Asa’s books and Zahra’s tablet right where they themselves should’ve been.</p><p>She forced herself not to panic. They were little children. They were obviously somewhere in the house. </p><p>She knew Asa liked to sneak into Malcolm’s old room on the second floor, so naturally that was where they all would be as the cherubs for better or worse were a tandem.</p><p>Her optimism died and her panic rose as her grandchildren were nowhere to be found as she checked in all of the bedrooms, underneath the beds and in all of the closets including her own and there was no sign of them anywhere. This was very <i>not good.</i></p><p>Malcolm told her to call him if she needed anything but the one thing Jessica would <i>not</i> do was call to tell him that she’d lost his children.</p><p>Her son and his wife already thought she was an amateur and she could imagine the looks on their faces if they had to leave work to help her search for their children. No, they could never know about this.</p><p>Zahra, Asa and Maliha were all under the age of seven, how far could they have gone? Jessica nervously wrung her hands as they were also Malcolm Whitly’s children. They could be halfway to Staten Island by now. <i>That’s it!</i></p><p>They’re <i>Malcolm’s</i> children. <i>If Malcolm were a small child where would he be?</i> Jessica thought to herself. She pursed her lips as she now knew exactly where they were.</p><p>–––––––––––––––</p><p>
  <i>“Ooh, I can’t believe this was under Lovey’s house.”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“You think Lovey’ll be mad?”</i>
</p><p>“Oh, Lovey is <i>furious!</i>” Jessica huffed as she watched pale blue, pewter and dark brown eyes widen cartoonishly as all three of them spilled out from the tunnel underneath the house that led to the side gate that was thankfully locked.</p><p>“Uh oh…” Maliha blinked up at her, the spitting image of her daughter-in-law but that guilty expression on her granddaughter’s face was all her son. “Trouble.”</p><p>“You better believe it, young lady!” Jessica hoisted Maliha onto her hip before grabbing Asa’s hand. “Now, hold your sister’s hand.”</p><p>Asa did as he was told as to not upset his grandmother further, grabbing onto Zahra’s hand as Jessica marched them all back into the house. She turned her back for 15 minutes and this was what they did. She remembered Malcolm doing something similar only he was supposed to be on house arrest and she hadn’t noticed <i>that</i> either. </p><p>They truly were his children.</p><p>–––––––––––––––––––</p><p>Malcolm entered the living room at exactly 5 o’clock, the same time he’d usually pick up them up from daycare. His profile wasn’t even half constructed but he’d bring the kids home where he’d pick up where he left off, joining Dani and the team from his first floor study via Webex.</p><p>Judging by the way they were all sitting on the antique love seat obviously in time out, the day must have gone about the way he’d expected it to, especially taking in the giant holes in Zahra and Mali’s tights and the dirt stains on the knees of Asa’s khakis.</p><p>“Malcolm, it appears your little cherubs have inherited your delinquent gene.” His mother walked in from the other room, crossing her arms, clearly unhappy. “They’ve discovered the tunnel beneath the house.”</p><p>Malcolm’s brows went skyward as he’d grown up in that house and he didn’t know it existed until Watkins had used it in his attempt to kidnap him and murder his family. “Wow…I’m impressed.” His mother shot him an irritated look as Zahra and Asa unsuccessfully fought off smiles. “I mean, very disappointed.” </p><p>“Daddy, M’sorry!” Mali scooted off the loveseat. His youngest running to him, about to cry. He intercepted her, brushing flyaways out of her face, absently wondering what happened to the cute little beret he’d paired with her outfit.</p><p>“It’s okay,” he whispered, winking at Mali just as his mother turned her head.</p><p>––––––––––––––––––</p><p>Malcolm looked up from his MacBook, case files covering the glass coffee table as he’d turned the living room into his makeshift office. He figured this probably would be a better way to keep his eyes and ears trained on the cherubs who may or may not have had enough adventure for the day. He heard Dani enter the house and the six little feet running to greet her. </p><p>“Mommy! Guess what? We found the tunnel,” Zahra said, wrapping her little arms around Dani’s neck once she squatted down to give the kids her hugs and kisses as she always did the moment she got home.</p><p>“The what?” Dani’s brows knitted, looking down into Zahra’s excited face as Asa wrapped her up from behind and Mali tried to squeeze in between them.</p><p>“The tunnel under Lovey’s house.” Asa supplied for his older sister.</p><p>“The one that murderers use?! Does Lovey even <i>pretend</i> to watch you three?” The creases between his wife’s brows deepened and her lip curled. “Bright, did you know about this?”</p><p>“Daddy…said…it was okay,” Mali looked up at Dani who was staring daggers at <i>him</i>. Malcolm sighed, he was in trouble.</p><p>Dani sucked in her cheeks, willing herself to remain calm at the fact that her genius husband did not tell her children that it was <i>not</i> okay to run in and out of their grandmother’s house via a tunnel built for serial killers. “It's not! Do not do that again. Do you know what happens to little children on the street? They get snatched up, that’s what! Your father got snatched up and he was grown.”</p><p>“<i>Really?!</i>” Zahra’s ice blue eyes went wide looking over at Malcolm as her oldest sensed a story she hadn’t heard before. "Daddy, <i>you</i> got snatched up?"</p><p>“Zahra Elizabeth, not the time,” Dani replied sternly, narrowing her eyes as her oldest made a show of zipping her lips, tossing her a cheeky thumbs up. Zahra looked an incredible amount like her but she also looked an incredible amount like Malcolm, a resemblance to go with a personality that was entirely <i>him</i>. “All of you upstairs. Time out until dinner time. The three of you know better.”</p><p>“<i>Mommy!</i>” Asa whined, now draping <i>his</i> small arms around her neck, giving her Daddy’s pouty face–the same face Malcolm made when he too didn’t want to face consequences for the things he’d done wrong. “Lovey already put us in time out.”</p><p>“Are you at Lovey’s, Asa Malcolm?” Dani asked her son with raised brows.</p><p>“No, ma’am.” Asa mumbled contrite but still unhappy, his bottom lip sticking out–the Daddy pout intensifying.</p><p>Dani angled her head towards the staircase, signaling to all three of them that the conversation was over. She watched her rogue love bugs make the saddest trek up the stairs to their rooms.</p><p>She pushed out a sigh as she hated being the bad guy but <i>someone</i> had to be as one Big Brain leading three other ones was a recipe for utter chaos.</p><p>Dani stood up, now turning her attention to her husband. Malcolm walking toward her with his mega-watt smile, obviously looking to finesse his way out of this one. Prince Charming mode on one hundred.</p><p>“Since <i>you</i> seem to have forgotten right from wrong, you want a time out too?” Dani crossed her arms, pursing her lips.</p><p>“No, but I think I might need to be <i>disciplined</i>.” Malcolm bit his lip, his ice clear eyes sparkling with mischief as his hands slid low on her hips. “Wanna spank me, Detective Powell?”</p><p>Dani shook her head in utter disbelief. Here lied the inherent problem with Big Brains and the trouble they liked to get themselves into and here was Malcolm demonstrating why he was the captain of the Big Brain group.</p><p>“Kinda wanna throttle you, Bright.” Dani rolled her eyes, heading upstairs toward the shower.</p><p>Her husband had two degrees from Harvard and an actual <i>Doctorate</i> from Georgetown and yet he thought it was smart to try and parlay her absolute irritation with him into business. How and why?</p><p>“Wait, is that an innuendo?” Malcolm breathed, his pale eyes now aglow with excitement and his smile all dimples. Dani glared, refusing to answer that. “Okay, just so we’re clear…the spanking: is that a yes or a no?”</p><p>Dani couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of her chest as she stopped on the stairs. Even when she was annoyed with him, she couldn’t stay that way. He was just too <i>Bright</i>. “You’re an idiot.”</p><p>“So that’s a no.” Malcolm pouted, forever the kid who firmly believed he deserved a reward for his existence alone.</p><p>“Give that man a prize,” Dani drawled, disappearing out of view and into the master suite.</p><p>“Obviously not,” Malcolm muttered, resigned to reclaim his work. It was obvious that trying to solve this murder would be the most fun he’d have tonight.</p><p>–––––––––––––––––––</p><p>Dani stopped as she’d been passing by Zahra’s room, leaning in the doorway as she spied Malcolm sitting cross legged on the floor with Zahra and Asa pressed up on each side of him and Mali in his lap, everyone finally dressed for bed. </p><p>Papa Bear surrounded by his babies. Dani smiled as a type of warmth she’d never imagined existed spread through her chest at the sight of them. </p><p>“Were you scared, Daddy? When the Junkyard Killer took you?” Zahra asked, looking up at him with rapt attention. </p><p>Of course, Malcolm chose to regale their children with the story of how he was kidnapped and tortured beneath their grandmother’s house at bedtime. A story that would give most children nightmares but alas, the Bright children were not like most.</p><p>Malcolm smiled down at their oldest, lightly brushing her curls. “I was terrified but if there’s one thing I learned, it’s that fear can only control you if you let it.”</p><p>“But where was Mommy?” Asa asked curiously, angling closer to Malcolm’s side. “Weren’t you scared ‘cause Mommy’s not there?”</p><p>Malcolm’s heart warmed at his son’s earnest inquiry. Asa firmly believed that not a single bad thing could happen as long as his Mommy was around. </p><p>“Mommy was out looking for Daddy,” Dani replied before Malcolm could answer. He looked up, watching her pad across the fuzzy ballet pink rug that covered the hardwood floor before taking a seat across from them on Zahra’s toy chest at the foot of her bed, completely unaware that his wife had even been listening to them. “When I went to that cabin in the woods with your uncle JT and Daddy wasn’t there, I was on the phone almost crying to Grandpa because I was so worried.”</p><p>Malcolm looked up, blinking at her. That was certainly news to him. “<i>Seriously?</i>”</p><p>“Yeah,” Dani smiled, a warm tenderness reaching her dark eyes. They’d been married much longer than they’d dated and yet there were still things about that time when they’d been fairly new to each other, he didn’t know about.</p><p>“The story, Daddy.” Mali’s little hands patting his knees insistently, bringing him out of their incredibly complicated past and back into the present.</p><p>––––––––––––––––</p><p>“Hey, did you really almost cry to Gil when you couldn’t find me back then?” Malcolm asked as Dani slid into bed next to him after they’d given the cherubs their goodnight kisses and “I love you’s,” tucking them in. </p><p>He put the case files he’d been looking at on the nightstand before turning to her, propping himself up on an elbow so he could look at her fully. The idea that Dani had cared about him that much and that early, he really couldn’t wrap his head around it.</p><p>“Yeah, I mean, you know what Watkins used to do to people. I didn’t know if that was how we’d find you. Honestly, back then, I probably couldn’t even articulate all this if you asked, like all I remember is being <i>gutted</i> when you weren’t there.” Dani brushed a strand of hair behind his ear, her eyes going far away. “All day I was thinking about you. I thought about that lemon lime lollipop you gave me, that time you asked me to dance when you were high, that first day we met when I helped you come down from that night terror. I thought about everything and...nothing at all.”</p><p>Malcolm did the math in his head and he realized that they hadn’t even known each other six months at that point. All that angst, all that heartache when he could’ve been making memories with a woman who even then cared enough to cry for him–enough to think about him. “And you didn’t think to…maybe…<i>tell me</i>?”</p><p>Dani laughed as she tucked her curls into a black bonnet he’d passed to her from the nightstand drawer. “When I told you I didn’t think you needed fixing, I meant it.”</p><p>“You know I’m not good with subtlety.”</p><p>“Trust me, I’ve noticed,” Dani remarked dryly. “But it’s true like you didn’t need to be someone else <i>for</i> someone else because I liked you as you were. You weren’t broken.”</p><p>“<i>And you didn’t say anything</i>,” Malcolm groaned, flopping down on his back dramatically, staring at the wire and crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.</p><p>“I didn’t even think you saw me like <i>that.</i> You know, the hardass tomboy you worked with. Definitely not like the perky princesses you were used to dating,” Dani said pointedly, quirking an expertly groomed brow.</p><p>“That’s not fair. Of course, I saw you like <i>that.</i> I have eyes,” Malcolm turned toward her, shooting her a <i>look.</i></p><p>“Oh really? You were so shocked when you saw me coming out of that dressing room like <i>wow, she actually cleans up</i>“ his wife smirked, teasing him.</p><p>“That’s not fair either,” Malcolm scoffed, throwing an arm over her, his fingers tapping against the ridge of her hip. “I wasn’t shocked, I was <i>awed</i> because you looked so beautiful.”</p><p>“You don’t have to sweet talk me, Bright. You already sealed the deal,” Dani rolled her eyes, wiggling her fingers deliberately. The vintage emerald and diamond ring he’d given her to renew their vows catching the lamplight along with her platinum wedding band that matched his.</p><p>“It’s the truth!” Malcolm protested, trying to defend himself though he was now mature enough to admit that his old self made it pretty hard. “I’d never seen such a goddess–"</p><p>“Oh, cut it out,” Dani laughed, launching one of their decorative throw pillows at her husband’s head. She was about to launch another just as she heard a trepid knock at the door. She watched Malcolm’s eyes go the door as a sweet smile broke over his face. </p><p>“You can come in, Angel,” he called just as their youngest open the door slowly, sticking her head in cautiously. </p><p>On more than one occasion he’d found Mali asleep outside their door, cuddled up with KAWS Elmo, waiting to be let in the next morning. Their door was usually closed around 11 o’clock and Mali <i>wouldn’t</i> knock to be let in because to her that was against the rules and just as her older siblings were “The Suspects” she was their “Law Abiding Citizen.”</p><p>It had taken weeks to get their youngest to feel comfortable enough to knock when she couldn’t sleep, reassuring her that her presence was <i>always</i> welcome.</p><p>“I can come?” Mali questioned hesitantly, her big dark eyes owl wide.</p><p>“Of course, Mama.” Dani sat up, trying to stifle a yawn as she made room for her, patting the space between her and Malcolm. She watched amusedly as Mali hurriedly scrambled up onto the the leather bench at the foot of the bed, making a beeline for what had now become her spot.</p><p>“Close, close,” Mali placed her little palms on both of their faces, giggling–a happy syrupy sweet sound. </p><p>Malcolm smirked at Dani over Mali’s head as he watched her acquiesce to their youngest daughter’s request, the most indulgent smile on his wife’s face. Dani scooted in so that Mali was properly sandwiched in between them just the way she liked.</p><p>Dani always rolled her eyes when she saw Malcolm completely melt into a puddle every time Mali turned those big browns on him, giving into absolutely anything their youngest wanted but Dani was beginning to see that she wasn’t too far off.</p><p>She turned over on her side, wrapping an arm around her littlest one, feeling the fatigue beginning to pull at the edges of her mind. It had been a long day but tomorrow would likely be better as Gil already gave them the okay to work from home, assuring that the kids would be protected from murderer tunnels and their own craftiness.</p><p>Malcolm looked on as Dani kissed the back of Mali’s head. He saw his wife’s breathing deepen and even out, drifting off just as their youngest did every time she got that final kiss from Mommy. </p><p>He thought back to that tunnel underneath his mother’s house. Being stabbed in the chest was excruciating as was having to break his own hand but nothing had hurt more than the knowledge that his father had intended to kill him as a child. He thought back to his second time using the tunnel and how desperate he was to not only clear his name for a murder he didn’t commit but to get justice for an ex-girlfriend who'd met an untimely and violent end.</p><p>Both moments–his father wanting to kill him and his ex being murdered–had felt like the biggest things in the world to him. Thinking about that now, only reinforced just how <i>small</i> his world had been then, especially as he looked at the two angels sleeping peacefully beside him.</p><p>That tunnel had led to things that had felt catastrophic at the time but had ultimately led to the second chances he didn’t even know he needed. A second chance at life as his father had wanted to kill him but instead of letting that knowledge do it–he lived. A second chance at love because the death of a woman who’d never loved him, brought him closer to the woman who did.</p><p>Malcolm had been through that tunnel but somehow he kept going and he hadn’t looked back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was me trying to write something fun and also short from a bunch of headcanons I discussed with @2amEuphoria awhile ago. I'm not sure I succeeded at doing either of those things lol but I hope you guys enjoy reading it.</p><p>The title refers to a line from "Marchin On" by OneRepublic.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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